Staying informed in Hyde Park is now just a click away, thanks to a new e-mail notification system that was recently activated. Steve Hughes, the town’s Webmaster, announced that residents can begin signing up for the free service immediately through the town’s Web site, www.hydeparkny.us. Users can select departments that interest them and receive e-mail notifications of meetings, votes, special events and important deadlines. Departments currently participating include:
• Highway Department – Information about highway department activities such as road work;
• Planning Board – Notices of agendas and minutes posted for the Planning Board;
• Police - Notices from the Hyde Park Police Department;
• Receiver of Taxes – Notices about tax collection and the hours of the Receiver of Taxes Office;
• Recreation Department – Information about programs and activities sponsored by the Recreation Department;
• Town Board – Notices from Pompey Delafield, Town Supervisor;
• Ward 1 – Notices from Robert Linville, councilperson for Ward 1;
• Ward 2 – Notices from Valerie Hail, councilperson for Ward 2;
• Ward 3 – Notices from Hannah Black, councilperson for Ward 3;
• Ward 4 – Notices from Rich Perkins, councilperson for Ward 4;
• Zoning Board of Appeals – Notices of agendas and minutes posted for the ZBA.
How to sign up
To register, residents should visit Hyde Park’s e-mail notification page at www.hydeparkny.us/emailnotices. Users then enter their e-mail address and select which departments they wish to receive notices from. According to Hughes, all e-mails are kept on a secure server and will remain private. “They’re not released to anyone,” he said.
The greatest benefit of the free service, said Hughes, is convenience. Residents will be able to be better informed of town-wide news without having to make a phone call, attend a meeting or turn on their television set. “The service will keep people informed of what’s going on in town,” said Hughes.
Town Supervisor Pompey Delafield (D) has immediate plans to use the new systems. “I certainly plan to use this as we go forward on the referendum” for the police/court facility, he said.
Police/court facility update
The Town Board plans to unveil new architectural renderings of the revised police/court facility at a town workshop on April 14. Delafield announced that the workshop meeting will include a presentation on the revised project and there will also be an opportunity for residents to offer public comment on the proposed headquarters, which is expected to cost up to $4.5 million. Delafield said the committee is working on a tight deadline in order to have the opportunity to hold a public referendum around June 17.
Town leaders are making another attempt to build a police/court facility on a donated parcel of land on Cardinal Road in the town of Hyde Park. After several trips back to the drawing board, committee members submitted a proposal for a scaled-back plan with numerous reductions in space, special features and furnishings. The town hopes to either secure a grant to support furnishings or seek furniture donations from the community.